Improving Your Putting Confidence
Putting is pretty much like riding a bike. You learned it a long time ago as a kid and once had positive putting confidence.
As a young golfer, you weren’t afraid of anything—you were not afraid of missing putts. Most adults who get the putting yips learn to fear and doubt putting. I’m sure you were a good putter as a kid void of fear or tension, but now suffer from fear of missing or putting yips.
Remember, great putting involves believing “I’m confident that I can make putts!”
You were once a natural putter, who simply said, “Watch me hole this!”
You ultimately make the decision about where the ball will break and how much the slope affects the ball’s roll.
You aim the putter head, align your body on your putting line, and launch the ball with the proper speed and effort control.
Be confident that you can make putts and that the ball has a good chance of falling into the hole, but don’t expect to make every putt!
Here are some ideas to help enhance your confidence.
Try these suggestions for two weeks and note any improvement in your putting.
- Make a list of all the times that you felt “confident” during recent playing rounds. List the feelings and thoughts that promote confidence and what it felt like on the greens. Notice the feelings and emotions that occur most often and focus on those particular thoughts and feelings while you prepare for an upcoming round or competition.
- Develop a preputt routine that is simple, consistent, and helpful when focusing positively on making putts. Overlearn your preputt routine so that it becomes automatic and provides you with stability when you feel anxious or pressured.
- Incorporate mental discipline into your putting routine and practice sessions. Tell yourself on every putt that you will give 100 percent effort, both physically and mentally.
- Commit yourself to excellence in reading greens and making good decisions about where you want to aim and stroke the ball, and then go ahead and do it.
- Know that putting confidence is a long-term project that starts from the inside. The more you input positive success pictures, the more putts you make, and the larger your confidence memory bank.
- Be confident but don’t expect to make all your putts. Be mentally tough by shrugging-off missed putts and learning to use selective memory. Do not dwell on missed putts. Always focus on the putts that you have made or are making (or the solid attempts that feel good to you), instead of the putts that miss or lip-out.
Related Article: How to Overcome Anxiety Before Golfing
Overcome The Yips and Enjoy Golf Again!
Golfers, do you suffer from:
- Anxiety, tension and over control of the stroke or swing?
- Performance anxiety about what others will think?
- Inability to wing the club freely on the course, despite the fact that you can in practice?
Check out: Breaking the Yips Cycle
Golfers: Learn how to overcome the fear that keeps you stuck in a vicious cycle
Instructors: Learn how to give your students the mental game edge.
Coaches: Help your team members play with freedom instead of fear or tension.
Breaking The Yips Cycle: How to Putt, Chip, And Pitch Freely and Enjoy Playing Golf Again
What are Golf Psychology Students Saying?
“I wanted to tell you I have broken out of the yips short putt issues. I have won 2 of the last 3 competitions. Right now my putting confidence is sky high. I HAD the putt yips for past 6 years. I contribute the success to two of your drills. First focus hard on the hole, forget about all else. It took awhile to get the 100% focus, but I could see the results coming. Then your advice “Let go and trust your ability.” Immediate result. Wow what a relief. Having putted for so long under yip pressure, I now feel I can be put under extreme pressure to win the club championship. I now look forward to short putts.”
~Ian Dodd
Download Our FREE Anti-Yips Putting Drills
Do you spend most of your practice time trapped by stroke or mechanics on the practice green?
Are you unsure how to practice to hep you overcome the putting yips?
Golfers: Learn how to putt with freedom using proven putting drills!
Download our FREE putting report and drills to help you unlock your putting potential today!
What are golfers saying about our putting yips drills?
“I went on to the putting green right after receiving your mail. What a great feeling of freedom. No tense at all, smiling and more consistent than ever before. I have great rounds during the years, but you have taken me to a new level with you tips for the yips. I am very grateful – if you visit Denmark I will invite you out for dinner.”
~Søren Meinertsen, Denmark
Overcome The Yips With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“Hank has consistently improved over the summer. He is getting stronger and more confident. He often talks about the mental game techniques that you have shared with him for his success. We visited my home in Wisconsin last week and he shot a 69 on my old home course which is a one-under round. Thanks for your help.”~Billy Dettlaff, Hank’s Father